Things I Want My Parents To Know

I was fortunate enough to be raised by two of the greatest people in the world, my parents. It's a funny thing really. We don't usually realize how blessed we are by our parents, until we're pushed out into the great, big world and forced to stand on our own two feet. My Mom & Dad have always been there for me and I know that they always will be. They were at every soccer game, every piano recital, and every martial arts lesson. They were involved parents, and I can't tell you how many times I heard, "Wow, you are lucky to have such amazing parents". They've always pushed me to be the best version of myself. My parents have instilled in me morals and values that I will carry with me forever. When it comes down to it, they mean more to me than I could ever put into words.

These are all the things I want my parents to know:

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for every sacrifice you've made. I know that I won't be able to completely understand this until I'm a parent of my own, but I can tell you how thankful I am. For the thousands of times you've put my needs before your own, for giving me grace when I messed up, and helping me fix my mistakes, for the time, money, and love that you have poured into me from day one, and for all that you still do, even when you don't need to -just because you are the most dedicated parents out there-, thank you.

You are my greatest role models. You two are my "everyday heroes", because that's truly how I see you both. You have always represented the highest levels of hard work, dedication, and honesty. You've shown me the great importance of faith and family. If there's something to be done, you don't rest until the task is completed. You serve without complaining, because that's just the kind of people you are.

Thank you, for the many life lessons that you've taught me about anything and everything. Whether it be politics, finances, cars, or careers- your vast wisdom on seemingly every subject still amazes me.

You mean everything to me. In the midst of my college years, I've come to realize that no matter where I go in life, I always want you guys to be there. A world without the two of you, is a world that I never want to have to live in. So, in case I don't say it often enough, I love you.

5 Perks Of Having A Long-Distance Best Friend

Sometimes, people get annoyed when girls refer to multiple people as their "best friend," but they don't understand. We have different types of best friends. There's the going out together best friend, the see each other everyday best friend and the constant, low maintenance best friend.

While I'm lucky enough to have two out of the three at the same school as me, my "low maintenance" best friend goes to college six hours from Baton Rouge.

This type of friend is special because no matter how long you go without talking or seeing each other, you're always insanely close. Even though I miss her daily, having a long-distance best friend has its perks. Here are just a few of them...

1. Getting to see each other is a special event.

Sometimes when you see someone all the time, you take that person and their friendship for granted. When you don't get to see one of your favorite people very often, the times when you're together are truly appreciated.

2. You always have someone to give unbiased advice.

This person knows you best, but they probably don't know the people you're telling them about, so they can give you better advice than anyone else.

3. You always have someone to text and FaceTime.

While there may be hundreds of miles between you, they're also just a phone call away. You know they'll always be there for you even when they can't physically be there.

4. You can plan fun trips to visit each other.

When you can visit each other, you get to meet the people you've heard so much about and experience all the places they love. You get to have your own college experience and, sometimes, theirs, too.

5. You know they will always be a part of your life.

If you can survive going to school in different states, you've both proven that your friendship will last forever. You both care enough to make time for the other in the midst of exams, social events, and homework.

I Wish As A Child I Understood That Sometimes Two Houses Are Really Better Than One

I can't sit here and pretend to know anything about marriage. I've heard that "marriage isn't easy; it requires a lot of give and take." I can, however, tell you about divorce. Growing up you never think that your parents will fall out of love. How could they? And while you may always be too young to understand the ins and outs of your parent's relationship, divorce affects more than just the people married. Researcher Judith Wallerstein proved in her well-known study on divorce that an unhappy marriage is better than no marriage for children. Not only are kids oblivious to the flaws in the marriage, but no marriage at all can have negative long-term effects on the children, especially in future relationships. However, a limitation of this experiment was that Wallerstein did not study high-conflict marriage, where divorce is not a problem that needs to be fixed; it's a solution.

Parents often tell their children that "mommy and daddy don't love each other anymore," even if there are other reasons for splitting up. Divorce is difficult for children to understand so this is the line that is fed most often to them. Therefore, the one concept children struggle with the most is how could parents fall out of love? To answer this question we have to define love. The internet defines love as "an intense feeling of deep affection," but I think TIME is more accurate with their article titled "We Are Defining Love The Wrong Way," in which Rabbi David Wolpe states that Too many women have told me, bruises visible on their faces, that the husbands who struck them love them.

Since they see love as a feeling, the word hides the truth, which is that you do not love someone whom you repeatedly beat and abuse. You may have very strong feelings about them, you may even believe you cannot live without them, but you do not love them. When I was growing up my mom always told me that it was her job to teach me to distinguish between "a man who flatters me and a man who compliments me; a man who spends money on me and a man who invests in me; a man who lusts after me and a man who loves me." I never realized how important it is to be able to distinguish between lust and love. These two words are so different, but society uses them interchangeably.

So how should love be defined then? I believe that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says it best: "Love is patient and kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love never fails."

So now try to put your spouse or significant others name as a substitute every time those verses refer to love. Can you do so without laughing? If not, then your relationship might be based more on lust than love. This doesn't mean that it will never have a firm foundation of love; it just means that it will take time to build this kind of sturdy foundation. The problem is not divorce; the problem is the lack of willingness to foster the type of love a marriage requires. The biggest misconception about divorce is that it causes a home to be broken when in reality the home was broken, to begin with. Divorce allows there to be two strong support systems that are much healthier than one dysfunctional family unit. Coming from a divorced family, this is something I wish I understood as a child.